My Stuff Bags Foundation

A few days ago one of the ACs (Admin Coordinators for you non Amgen readers) set up a volunteer day for us to go to. I'm actually incredibly embarrassed to admit I know very little of what is in the area in regards to volunteer assistance programs, what companies are out there, etc. Sure makes me feel a bit self absorbed to admit that! But, it is what it is for now. Anyway, she sent us to this place called My Stuff Bags Foundation. It's actually kinda cool, but sad too. They make care bags for kids, infants to teens, who have been pulled from their homes by child services and are sort of in that limbo state where the courts haven't decided what to do with them. The woman explained most kids are pulled in the night by surprise so the parents don't take them and run. The result of that is they have none of their belongings. So these bags are filled with a blanket, stuffed animal, and age appropriate items for them.. coloring books, reading books, games, etc. After giving us the lay of the land, we got lined up in an assembly line and began stuffing. I looked down, in my bin of stuffed animals were 500 "Spirit" horse stuffed animals. I just wanted to cry. Mackenzie has the same stuffed animal. She is obsessed with horses and went thru a phase where the only movie she would watch was the Spirit movie. I could close my eyes and picture her bed, half full (I'm not joking) of stuffed animals, Spirit right in the middle of it. Our girls have been thru a lot, but they have a home where they are safe, loved and not alone. These bags are going to kids who will feel like no one cares, they've been left alone, with nothing but the clothes on their backs. I wish I could crawl into these bags, and go on the journey with them, hugging these kids, and telling them everything will be ok and they aren't alone. I just can't imagine any child going thru this.. and yet thousands do every day.

One of the things the volunteer told us they are most short on, is blankets. On their website is a simple way to make fleece blankets. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to Joanns and walked by the clearance table to see tons of fleece marked down for quick sale. I plan to keep my eyes out next time and buy a bunch... it's one of those things I could do while sitting in front of the TV at night and probably bust about 20 blankets in a week's time. With their goal being 30,000 bags a year, 20 bags isn't much, but it's a start. If you are interested in the foundation, here is their link: http://www.mystuffbags.org/